Behavioral biometrics are well on their way to becoming a commonly utilized verification tool. In fact, everyone from government agents to students enrolled in an online university has probably already encountered behavioral biometrics, even if they’re not aware of it.
This secondary method of authentication can come in many forms, including typing, verbal, face, and fingerprint scanning. All of these are useful, but there are a few things that set typing apart as the superior behavioral verification tool.
1. Passive verification process that runs in the background
Have you ever encountered a website that made you jump through multiple hoops just to login? This is frustrating, and it can ultimately end up hurting the site in question. With typing biometrics, users can be continuously verified without having to take any additional steps.
When you compare this to a fingerprint scanner or voice recognition, it becomes clear that typing biometrics offer a unique approach that protects everyone. Typing also ensures that the person who logged in is the same person who completes processes on the site such as taking a test.
2. Typing biometrics verification is very difficult to spoof
Every other form of behavioral biometrics is shockingly easy to spoof. For example, it would be effortless for someone to use a picture of your face to fool facial recognition software. You’d also probably be surprised how easy it is for a criminal to duplicate your voice using spoofing software. Additionally, we all touch tons of things daily that could provide an identity thief with a clear fingerprint, and spoofing even makes it possible to pass a retina scan.
What spoofing can’t do, though, is perfectly emulate the way someone types. We all have a unique way of typing and utilizing a keyboard, just as we all interact with our smartphones in a slightly different way. Therefore, typing biometrics can help prevent identity theft and minimize the risk of online fraud.
3. Websites can enroll users passively
If you want someone to access their account by using facial recognition or a fingerprint scan, they’re going to need to have the appropriate equipment hooked up and learn to use it properly. This is an obtrusive approach that can be a big turnoff. Turning to typing biometrics instead allows companies to enroll and verify users in a passive, unobtrusive manner.
Technically, this could all be done in the background without the user even being aware, but we highly recommend that you make it clear you’re using this secondary verification technique. In fact, our clients are required to disclose this information in their privacy policy/terms of use.
4. Help users maintain privacy and avoid social awkwardness
We’ve already mentioned that typing biometrics is less obtrusive because it doesn’t require any special equipment. This isn’t the only way that this form of behavioral biometrics is a less intrusive approach, in any case. Imagine for a minute that you have to speak to access your account. This becomes complicated when you’re in a public place.
Constantly putting your finger on a fingerprint scanner is also cumbersome, and it opens the door for hackers and thieves who know how to spoof fingerprints. By using typing patterns, it’s possible to minimize these privacy risks and prevent users from experiencing unnecessary social awkwardness.
5. No additional hardware is needed
An advantage that can’t possibly be overemphasized is the fact that typing biometrics doesn’t require any type of specialized hardware. After all, every laptop and PC comes with a keyboard, but they don’t always have a webcam or microphone. Adding in a fingerprint scanner is even more problematic for users.
Additionally, some of these peripherals don’t work properly on all websites due to browser limitations. Although most browsers do allow users to enable these features, this is yet another step that must be taken. If your user isn’t very tech-savvy, this could be a deal breaker. As you can see, typing biometrics quite simply offer the easiest way to verify a user’s identity, and it’s also the method that’s least likely to be spoofed!
